Criminal9/14/2026

Detention of Suspect in Kidnapping of 10-Year-Old Yahli Extended Until Wednesday

The Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court extended for the fifth time the detention of 19-year-old Yigal Buskila, who is suspected of kidnapping 10-year-old Yahli Sofer. The court denied the request to transfer him to house arrest but granted the police a shorter extension than they had requested.

Key facts

•Court: Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court
•Suspect: Yigal Buskila, 19
•Victim: Yahli Sofer, 10
•Detention extended by three days, until Wednesday
•This is the fifth detention extension
•The case number is not stated in the source

What Did the Court Discuss?

Buskila, a Jerusalem resident, is suspected of kidnapping a child from Petah Tikva and of involvement in three attempted kidnappings. The police representative said the suspect does not deny what happened. According to the police, the State Attorney's Office reviewed the investigative materials and instructed that additional investigative actions be carried out, both in the main incident and in the related incidents.

Why Was House Arrest Not Approved?

Attorney Noam Gutman of the Public Defender's Office asked the court to take the suspect's mental state into account and allow the investigation to continue while he stayed at home. Buskila's mother offered to supervise her son, but said that he had not been staying at home regularly in recent months. Judge Oren Boaz denied the suspect's release and noted that although one investigative action could not be obstructed, he saw no justification for house arrest.

What Was Decided?

The police asked to keep Buskila in detention until Friday, but the court extended his detention by only three days—until Wednesday. The judge said he expected a prosecutor's declaration or an indictment accompanied by a request for detention until the end of proceedings at the next hearing. The source does not state the case number or the exact calendar date of the hearing.

What Is Known About the Investigation?

After the suspect's name and photograph were cleared for publication, the police received no new reports. At the time of publication, the police were continuing to examine three incidents known to them. The court did not issue a final ruling in this hearing regarding Buskila's guilt.

What this means for you

Extending detention during the investigative stage does not mean that the person has been found guilty; rather, it allows the police to complete the required actions before the next judicial review. At the next hearing, the prosecution will have to present the next procedural step—a prosecutor's declaration or an indictment and a request for detention until the end of proceedings.

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Case analysis based on court rulings